Folding bath cabinet



0a. 24, 1950 D. L. COSPER FOLDING BATH CABINET Filed May 18, 1949 INVENTOR. Hazel. 605,067; BY

Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED sT-ATEs: PATENT. OFFICE Dale L. Cosper. South Bend, Ind., assignor to Versal Inc., South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application May 18, 1949, Serial No. 94,029

1 This invention relates to a new and improved collapsible steam bath cabinet or the like and more particularly to a device of this kind coniprising a metal frame and a removable covering of flexible sheet material for the frame. 31

Steam baths which provide treatments prescribed for various purposes, as normally constructed, comprise a cabinet sufiiciently largeto enclose a person sitting on a chair therein, with the persons head projecting through an opening in the upper wall of the cabinet; It is necessary tohinge several wall and upper sections of the cabinet to provide for entrance and exit of the user and also to provide a reasonably close fit about the neck of the user. Such cabinets are cumbersome, awkward to manipulate by the user alone and take up considerable storage space. They are, therefore, not well :adapted for home prising a light metal frame having a, removable.

covering of flexible, water and steamresistant material. v. I

- It is another object to providea cabinet which.

may be easily opened and closed by the user.- ...'i

. It is an additional object'to provide acabinet which is easily adjustable as to heightlso that'i'it may be readily adapted for use bypersons of surface about the neck of the user. i

It is a further object to provide a cabinet whic is simple in design and construction and adapted for commercial production and use. w

Other and further objects will appear, as the description proceeds. p v

r I have shown certain preferred embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings,

inwhich- V Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cabinet frame assembled to a chair;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the pivot block and connec:- tions;

difi'erent heights with a proper fit of the upper.

' Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation, on anenr larged scale, of the pivot and support blocks and connections; and

llFigure 4 is a perspective view of-the assembly:

in use.

8 Claims. (01. 4-164) 2 prises a folding stool section comprising the two U-shaped members II and I2 which are pivoted at I3 and I4 to each other. The usual type of fabric seat I6, which may be formed of canvas, is secured to the middle portions of the two U members I I and I2 by having its ends lapped over these portions, then folded back and sewed to the body in a well-known manner. The upper portions of the two legs of the U-shaped member I l are each provided with a flat tubular member I8 applied thereto in such manner that they provide sockets to receive the legs I9 of the U-shaped member 20 which forms a back for the chair assembly. Theselegs I9 have a sliding fit into members I8 so that the back may be removed for packing and storage. The back is provided with a, fabric back-rest 22 which is securedto'the back legs I9 by being folded around them and being sewed back upon itself in the same manner. as the seat.

Referring next to Figure 3, the middle top portion of the chair-back U frame 20 is provided with a, pair of openings 24 through which are fitted the two legs 26 of the U-shaped support member 21. The support block 29 is provided with a pair of openings 30 through which the legs 26 pass and this block is secured in adjustedv position by means of a thumb screw 32, the inner end of which bears against one of the legs 26.- The upper ends of the legs 26 fit into recesses 34, in the underside of the pivot: block 35, which block serves to support the upper framework of the assembly.

This upper framework comprises, as shown in Figure 1, a left horizontal frame 31 and a right horizontal frame 38. The frames 31 and 38 have 'the inwardly bowed portions 39 and 40 formed on their adjacent sides to provide clearance for the neck of the user. The rear portion 42 of the frame section. 31 has a downturned end 43 fitting in a bore 44 in the support block 35. Similarly, the end of the curved section 39 of member. 31 has a downturned portion 45 fitting through. the perforation 46 in the block 35. The horizon-: tal frame section 38 is similarly provided with downturned portions 48 and 49 extending through bores 52 and 53.v

The horizontal sections 31 and 38 of the frame serve to support the sloping frame sections 55 and 56. These frames 55 and 56 are shaped in the form of a modified U with adjacent corners 5'! and 58 formed on a short radius and the outer lower corners 6| and 62 formed on a longer radius. The upper end of the outer leg of sect ion. 55 isgiven .a. single turn. 66 around. the

l I 3 member 31 and the end of the turn is bent outwardly and upwardly, as shown at 61, underneath the lateral portion of frame 31 so that the frame 55 is held in the position in which it is shown. The upper end of the other leg of frame 55 is similarly twisted around frame section 31, as shown at 69, and has an upstanding portion bent outwardly and under the adjacent rear: wardly extending portion of frame 31: shownin Figure 1, the frame member 56 has the upper .section 38.

As shown in Figure 4, the assemblyis adapted to support a flexible housing '16 having portions I corresponding to the supporting frame shape :fitted thereon and having downwardly depending walls or skirts long enough to reach the floor with the frame assembly extended to its height. As shown in the drawing, these skirts have an overlapping portion. .12. so, that. the cabi.- :net maybe closed sufficiently to prevent any :substantial leakage of steam. As indicated in broken lines at M and E5, the. member 70. may. be provided with interior pockets fitting over the lower ends of members 55 and 56 so as to retain the casing or housingin place. As shown in Figure 1, an electric water. heater 78 :having the usual current supply cord 19 may be provided and located in-usebeneath the. seat. This should be ofa type which will supply adequate Steam for the use of the housing as a steam bath. The particular construction ofthis heater-forms no part of the present invention.

.In theuse of the collapsible steam bath cabinet,

after the parts have been assembled: and covered with the flexible housing 16,- the :two sides may be swung well apart, a, pivoting and slight tw-isting action taking place about the downwardly extending portions 43, 45, 48 and 49,- 'which are l shown in detail in Figure 3. After the user has been seated, these sections may be readily-drawn together and the flexible covering overlapped, as shown in Figure 4. It will be understood that, as usual with steam cabinets, a towel would ordinarily be placed about the neck of the user so as to prevent escape of steam at this point.

The assembly is very easily opened so as to permit'the user to leave the chair when itis desired toterminate the use of the cabinet. The entire cabinet may be very quickly assembled :for use and also quickly separated for packing- -and storage where it occupies a very small space.

*The two upper frame assemblies are lifted out of :the support block 35 and, with the lower portion 555 folded back against the upper portion 31-and= similarly section 56 folded against section 38, these. portions take up very little space. The supporting U 21 may be removedfrom the chair- .back, if desired, by loosening thenut dzi It ma if desired, be merely slipped down until the ends of legs 26 are within the block 29 and the screw 3.2.tightened up again. It then. adds 'very little to the height of the back for storage. The back may be removed 'from't-heseat'and leg portions of the chair by lifting the sides H] of thechair out of the members it. The leg' and seatpor tions of the chair may be folded in the usual manner. The outer covering 10, being flexible, may be folded and packed in a small flatrspace'. It will be apparent, therefore, that the cabinet may be collapsed quickly and packed'in a'ver y small area. The method of assembly will be readily understood, being merely the reversal'of the. steps just describedin connection. with taking 4 it apart for storage. It will be apparent, also, that the chair, with or without the back, may be used separately for other purposes. Also, the water heating and steam creating unit 18 may be used for other purposes when not desired in connection with the cabinet.

The parts may be made of various materials, but aluminum tubing for the chair and aluminum mas -for --the *upper frame as'semblyptogether with aluminum support and pivot blocks, have 5 been found very eflicient. This material is light .tohandle and requires no painting to prevent rust or'corrosion from contact with the steam.

. r While. I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention by way of example,'it is capable of variation to meet differing conditions and requirements and I contemplate such modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1-

1. In a steam bath cabinet, a chair, supporting means secured to the, chair, a, cabinet frame carried by the supporting means,, said cabinet. frame comprising a pair of members pivoted on the supporting frame, each, of said members. having a re-entrant portion adapted to fit about a users neck, and a housing carried. by the frame;

2., In a steam bath, cabinet, a chair, supporting; means, secured to the chai i;v a cabinetframe car r by thes pp r in een r d abinet fr me o p is ng a pa r' f' member p v tedbnshe supporting. frame, each frame-member comprise, ing a main element, and a secondaryelement. pivoted to the first, element about. a substantiallyhorizontal axis, anda housing; carried'bynthe frame. 5,

3. In a steam bath cabinet, achair, supporting means secured toithechair acabinet frame care ried by the supporting means, said cabinet frame comprising a pair of substantiallyv horizontally extending main. members eachgenerallyrectangular in shape and formed of a unitaryb'ar both ends ofwhich are-fitted intofthe supporting means, and a second forwardly extending element carried by each horizontally. extending main member, and a housing. carried: byv the frame. l

. 4. In a steam bath cabinet, a chair, supporting means secured to the chair, a cabinet frame carried by the supporting means, said'cabinet frame comprising. a pair of: substantially horizontally extending main memberseach generally rectangular in shape and formed of a unitary bar both ends of which are fitted into thesupporting means, and asecond forwardly extending element carried by each horizontally extending main member, said forwardly extending elements each being formed of a generally 'U- shaped bar with'its ends pivotall'y secured-tqthe forward portion of the main memb'e'r, and a housing carried by the frame. i

5..'In a steam bathcabinet, a chair, supporting means secured to the chair, a cabinet framecarried by the supporting means, said cabinet-framecomprising a pair of substantially' horizontally extending main members' each generally re(':ta'.-n"-' gular' in'shape and formed ora unitary bar both ends of which are fitted into the supporting, means, and a second forwardlyextending el'e ment carried b each"horizontallyextending main member, said forwardly extending elements each being formedof a generally U '-slia'p;ed bar'with its ends pivotally'secured to' the forward portion of the main member by passingaround-the front bar portion and "having-an formed of bars, said frame comprising a pair of generally rectangular main members, each formed of a single bar having downturned ends,

said downturned ends fitting in the support sockets for pivotal movement, secondary forwardly extending elements carried by the main members, and a flexible housing fitted on said frame.

7. In a steam bath cabinet, a chair having a back, a support adjustably secured to the chairback whereby its elevation may be varied, said support having sockets therein, a cabinet frame formed of bars, said frame comprising a pair of generally rectangular main members, each formed of a single bar having downturned ends, said downturned ends fitting in the support sockets for pivotal movement, secondary forwardly extending elements carried by the main members, and a flexible housing fitted on said frame, said housing having pockets formed therein to, fit over portions of the frame to maintain the housing located thereon.

8. In a steam bath cabinet, a chair having a back formed of an inverted U-shaped member detachably secured to the chair, the upper portion' of the back having a pair of vertical openings therein, a U-shaped support having its legs extending upwardly through the openings, a support block fitting over said legs above the back and adjustably secured thereto, a pivot block supported by the upper ends of said legs, a pair of frame members detachably fitted into said pivot block to pivot thereon, and a flexible housing supported'b said frame members.

' DALE L; COSPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 641,353 Wygal Jan. 16, 1900 1,932,122 Schulte ,Oct. 24, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 104,086 Australia June 9, 1938 

